North Carolina Beats Gonzaga, 71-65, to Win National Title

Joel Berry scored 22 points and North Carolina beat Gonzaga, 71-65, in the NCAA men’s basketball national championship game in Glendale, Ariz. on Monday night.

The victory gave the Tar Heels (33-7) their sixth national title and third under head coach Roy Williams.

Justin Jackson hit a go-ahead 3-point play with 1:40 left, which allowed North Carolina to redeem itself from last season’s heartbreaking, buzzer-beating loss to Villanova in the national title game.

The Bulldogs (37-2) took their last lead when Nigel Williams-Goss finished off a personal 8-point run with 1:52 left. Jackson scored on the next possession to give the Tar Heels the lead for good. He had 16 points for UNC.

Williams-Goss led Gonzaga with 15 points. Przemek Karnowski had nine points and nine rebounds for the Bulldogs.